1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an imaging circuit, and more particularly, relates to an imaging circuit and an image pickup device using a color filter having an oblique arrangement of pixels.
2. Description of Related Art
Recently, image pickup devices such as a digital video camera, a digital still camera, etc., in which a subject is imaged and recorded into a recording medium, are widely used. These image pickup devices are increasingly miniaturized and improved in image quality. A solid-state image pickup element (imaging device) is mounted on the image pickup devices, and a color filter is attached to a light-receiving surface of the solid-state image pickup element. An intensity of light is inputted into the solid-state image pickup element through the color filter, and an electrical signal corresponding to the intensity of light is outputted, as RAW data, from the solid-state image pickup element.
For example, for the color filter used for the solid-state image pickup element, a color filter having a Bayer arrangement in which a ratio of G (Green):R (Red):B (Blue) is 2:1:1 is widely known. To meet a requirement of the high quality image of the image pickup device, color filters having various pixel arrangements other than the Bayer arrangement are proposed.
For example, instead of the Bayer arrangement in which the ratio of G (green):R (red):B (blue) is 2:1:1, there is proposed a color filter having a pixel arrangement in which the ratio of G (green):R (red):B (blue) is 6:1:1 and further, the pixel arrangement is rotated by 45 degrees (a color filter having a so-called oblique pixel arrangement) (see Japanese Unexamined Application Publication No. 2006-211631, hereinafter, referred to as “Patent Document 1”, (FIG. 7), for example).